The literary podcast that has been giving new life to old books since 2015. For show notes visit backlisted.fm and get an extra two shows a month by supporting the pod at patreon.com/backlisted
Site
RSS
Spotify
Apple
Data updated on 23/09/2026
Recent rankings
Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.
Shared links between episodes and podcasts
Links found in episode descriptions and other podcasts that share them.
Discover shows related to Backlisted, based on actual content similarities. Explore podcasts with similar topics, themes, and formats, backed by real data.
In light of the death of Annie Dillard, we are revisiting our discussion of her Pulitzer Prize-winning classic Pilgrim at Tinker Creek.
First published in 1974, when Dillard was still in her twenties, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Non-Fiction the following year. A landmark work of nature writing, observation and spiritual enquiry, it established Dillard as one of the most distinctive voices in American literature.
Joining us are writers Jay Griffiths and Geoff Dyer, both making their Backlisted debuts in the original episode. Griffiths is the author of Wild: An Elemental Journey and, most recently, How Animals Heal Us, published in paperback in 2026. Dyerās books include The Last Days of Roger Federer and his recent memoir Homework, an account of his childhood and adolescence in postwar England.
Also in this episode, Andy has been reading Pages from the Goncourt Journals, a gossip-rich glimpse into 19th-century French literary life, which has a foreword by Geoff Dyer, while John talks about the life and work of John Donne through Katherine Rundellās acclaimed biography Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne.
* To purchase any of the books mentioned in this episode please visit our bookshop atĀ uk.bookshop.org/shop/backlistedĀ where all profits help to sustain this podcast and UK independent bookshops.
* For information about everything mentioned in this episode visitĀ www.backlisted.fm
*If you'd like to support the show and join in with the book chat, listen without adverts, receive the show early and with extra bonus fortnightly episodes and exclusive writing, become a Patreon atĀ www.patreon.com/backlisted
*You can sign up to our free monthly newsletter hereĀ
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Rerun - Elizabeth Costello by J.M. Coetzee
Monday, August 31, 2026 ā¢ Duration 01:06:24
Recorded live in Galway in 2021, we were joined by novelist Mary Costello for a special episode recorded live at Galway International Arts Festival in Ireland. The book we're debating is Elizabeth Costello (2003) by South-African born Nobel Laureate J.M. Coetzee, a novel that politely asks the reader to consider, amongst other matters, animal rights, the power of faith and the limits of fiction itself. Also in this episode, books by two Irish authors: Sally Rooney's novel Beautiful World, Where Are You and John Moriartyās The Hut at the Edge of the Village, a collection edited by Martin Shaw and published by the Lilliput Press.
* To purchase any of the books mentioned in this episode please visit our bookshop atĀ uk.bookshop.org/shop/backlistedĀ where all profits help to sustain this podcast and UK independent bookshops.* For information about everything mentioned in this episode visitĀ www.backlisted.fm*If you'd like to support the show and join in with the book chat, listen without adverts, receive the show early and with extra bonus fortnightly episodes and exclusive writing, become a Patreon atĀ www.patreon.com/backlisted
*You can sign up to our free monthly newsletter hereĀ
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Rerun - The Ice Palace by Tarjei Vesaas
Monday, August 17, 2026 ā¢ Duration 01:09:05
Returning to a show we made in 2022. The Ice Palace or Is-slottet by Tarjei Vesaas is a 20th century classic by one of Norwayās greatest modern writers. First published by Gyldendal in 1963, it went on to win the Nordic Council Literary Prize in 1964. In 1966, it was published in Elizabeth Rokkanās English translation by Peter Owen who described it as the best novel he ever published. To discuss it weāre joined by friend of the show Max Porter ā whoās surprised it isnāt the most famous book in the world ā and by another great Norwegian, Karl Ove KnaussgĆ„rd, who agrees but who also thinkās Vessasās The Birds (or Fuglane), published six years earlier, might be even better. We discuss both books in their English translations (recently released as Penguin Modern Classics) and Karl Ove treats us to a reading from the beginning of The Ice Palace in Norwegian. This episode also features Andy sharing his pleasure and deep amusement at Bob Dylanās latest book ā The Philosophy of Modern Song (Simon & Schuster) while John is moved by Emergency, Daisy Hildyardās darkly beautiful novel about a rural Northern childhood overshadowed by presentiments of the coming climate disaster (Fitzcarraldo Editions).
* To purchase any of the books mentioned in this episode please visit our bookshop atĀ uk.bookshop.org/shop/backlistedĀ where all profits help to sustain this podcast and UK independent bookshops.
* For information about everything mentioned in this episode visitĀ www.backlisted.fm
*If you'd like to support the show and join in with the book chat, listen without adverts, receive the show early and with extra bonus fortnightly episodes and exclusive writing, become a Patreon - the first week is free - atĀ www.patreon.com/backlisted
*You can sign up to our free monthly newsletter hereĀ
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Gaining Ground by Joan Barfoot - Rerun
Monday, August 3, 2026 ā¢ Duration 01:09:58
In light of it's republication by Faber this month, we are replaying this wonderful episode where author Rose Ruane first brought Gaining GroundĀ A.K.A.Ā AbraĀ (1978) by Canadian feminist writer Joan Barfoot to our attention back in 2024.One day, seemingly on a whim, a woman walks out of her home and her marriage, forsaking her family for a life of near-solitude and self-sufficiency. Many years later, her daughter, now grown-up, comes to find her and to ask a simple question: why? But there are no easy answers.
In a long and distinguished literary career, Barfoot has won the Marian Engel Award and been long listed for the Man Booker Prize, forĀ Critical InjuriesĀ (2002). Back in 2024, her debut novel, seemed to have vanished almost as thoroughly as its female protagonist; as you will hear from our discussion, we thought the book richly deserved to be rediscovered and are very happy now it is available to purchase.
* To purchase any of the books mentioned in this episode please visit our bookshop atĀ uk.bookshop.org/shop/backlistedĀ where all profits help to sustain this podcast and UK independent bookshops.
* For information about everything mentioned in this episode visitĀ www.backlisted.fm
*If you'd like to support the show and join in with the book chat, listen without adverts, receive the show early and get extra bonus episodes and original writing, become a patron atĀ www.patreon.com/backlisted + there's a free trial week.
*You can sign up to our free monthly newsletter hereĀ
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Summer Reading 2026
Tuesday, July 28, 2026 ā¢ Duration 01:03:15
Just in time for the summer holidays, the Backlisted team recommend six books we have enjoyed recently: As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning by Laurie Lee; Boulder by Eva Baltasar; Flashlight by Susan Choi; The Palm House by Gwendoline Riley; The Matchbox Girl by Alice Jolly; and The Gilt Kid by James Curtis. New and not-so-new reading for the months ahead, as we take a brief break from our sabbatical to return for this 2026 Summer Reading special. Have a great summer. x
* To purchase any of the books mentioned in this episode please visit our bookshop atĀ ā uk.bookshop.org/shop/backlistedā Ā where all profits help to sustain this podcast and UK independent bookshops.
* For information about everything mentioned in this episode visitĀ ā www.backlisted.fmā
*If you'd like to support the show and join in with the book chat, listen without adverts, receive the show early and get extra bonus episodes and original writing, become a patron atĀ ā www.patreon.com/backlistedā + there's a free trial week.
*You can sign up to our free monthly newsletter ā hereā Ā
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read by Pierre Bayard - Rerun
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 ā¢ Duration 58:14
Recorded back in 2018 at Port Elliot festival, Andy and John are joined on stage by writer, actor and comedian Ben Moor, author of More Trees to Climb (Granta) and whose comedy show āBook Talk Book Talk Bookā first premiered at that years Festival, and writer and journalist Cathy Rentzenbrink, author of The Last Act of Love and the forthcoming The Agatha ChristieĀ Cure and is currently at work on her first novel. The book under discussion is Pierre Bayardās How To Talk About Books You Havenāt Read, first published in France as Comment parler des livres que l'on n'a pas lus? by Editions du Minuit in 2007, and in the UK by Granta in a translation by Jeffrey Mehlman.
* To purchase any of the books mentioned in this episode please visit our bookshop atĀ uk.bookshop.org/shop/backlistedĀ where all profits help to sustain this podcast and UK independent bookshops.
* For information about everything mentioned in this episode visitĀ www.backlisted.fm
*If you'd like to support the show and join in with the book chat, listen without adverts, receive the show early and with extra bonus fortnightly episodes and exclusive writing, become a Patreon atĀ www.patreon.com/backlisted
*You can sign up to our free monthly newsletter hereĀ
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Look At Me by Anita Brookner - rerun
Tuesday, June 9, 2026 ā¢ Duration 01:08:19
This is a vintage Backlisted episode recorded back in 2017. John and Andy were joined by Una McCormack and Lucy Scholes to discuss Anita Brookner's third novel Look At MeĀ (1982), a tale of intergalactic piracy in a far off star syste... No, not really.
The Cake And The Rain, Jimmy Webb's memoir of life in the 60's music industry, and We That Are YoungĀ a reworking of King Lear set in India by Preti Taneja, are the other books John & Andy were reading.
* To purchase any of the books mentioned in this episode please visit our bookshop atĀ uk.bookshop.org/shop/backlistedĀ where all profits help to sustain this podcast and UK independent bookshops.
* For information about everything mentioned in this episode visitĀ www.backlisted.fm
*If you'd like to support the show and join in with the book chat, listen without adverts, receive the show early plus extra bonus episodes and exclusive writing, become a Patreon atĀ www.patreon.com/backlisted
*You can sign up to our free monthly newsletter hereĀ
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Beloved by Toni Morrison - rerun
Tuesday, June 2, 2026 ā¢ Duration 01:06:44
Beloved by Toni Morrison was first published in 1987 by Knopf, it went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1988, among many other prizes. In 2006, the New York Times declared Beloved the best work of American fiction of the previous twenty-five years. and more recently it came second in the Guardians top 100 novels of all time. This show was recorded in 2019 and our guest isĀ Preti Taneja a novelist, a teacher and an activist. She won the Desmond Elliot Prize for her first book, We That Are Young (2017), and her creative non-fiction work, Aftermath (2022) was based on her own experience of teaching in prison.
In this episode John also enthuses about Lisa Blowerās sparkling story collection Itās Gone Dark over Billās Motherās published by Myriad Editions and Andy discovers the perfect holiday read in Paraic OāDonnellās The House on Vesper Sands. published by Weidenfeld.
* To purchase any of the books mentioned in this episode please visit our bookshop atĀ uk.bookshop.org/shop/backlistedĀ where all profits help to sustain this podcast and UK independent bookshops.
* For information about everything mentioned in this episode visitĀ www.backlisted.fm
*If you'd like to support the show and join in with the book chat, listen without adverts, receive the show early and with extra bonus fortnightly episodes and exclusive writing, become a Patreon atĀ www.patreon.com/backlisted
*You can sign up to our free monthly newsletter hereĀ
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
